Day 13--Leaving Goose Island, arriving at Choke Canyon

This is what we drove all this way to find! It is quarter to 6 and I am soaking up the last of the rays of a brilliant sun at 70° and enjoying a discreet beer; public consumption of alcohol seems to be prohibited in all Texas State Parks. Since we awoke to such a beautiful day we decided to take our time and enjoy it at Goose Island State Park until we had to check out at 2:00. We rode our bikes to the fishing pier and walked all 1500+ feet of it. There were a few fishermen and some other folks just walking it, like we were. Back at the camper we sat in the sun and read and planned how we would proceed from here. In reading about Granger State Park and Choke Canyon State Park we became concerned that either or both of these popular parks might be full on a Saturday night. Back we went on our bikes to see if the park office could give us any information on them. They couldn’t, but we found we had enough of a signal to call Choke Canyon. They said they had plenty of sites available so we decided to go there since it was closer. We made a picnic lunch and rode our bikes back to the pier to enjoy it by the water. It was fun to watch the pelicans diving for their lunch just off shore. As we rode back we stopped to take a picture of the pelicans and gulls begging for scraps at the fish cleaning station. The guy cleaning his catch called to us and asked if we’d do him a favor. He had run out of his zip lock bags and couldn’t leave the table long enough to get more out of his car for fear the gulls would take the whole catch. We laughed and stood in his place for the five seconds it took him. When I asked what the fillets were, he told us they were trout and offered us a bag. How could we say no?!?! Back at the camper again, we folded up and put away everything and left the park at 1:54. J We drove two-lane and divided highways the whole 2½ hours to Choke Canyon and watched the Live Oak, Black Jack Oak, and palm trees give way to Live Oak, Mesquite and prickly pear cactus. The land went from being at or below sea level on the GPS to slightly rolling hills. Our camp site backs up to the Bird Sanctuary, from which comes a symphony of calls and whistles, and we can see the very large reservoir beside the loop across from us. There isn’t much in the way of shade trees here, but since we don’t need shade, it really isn’t a problem. As the sun sets and the air is quickly cooling, I am ready to go inside and cook those lovely trout fillets for dinner. This is truly the good life!

P.S. As we prepared to fix dinner a “herd” of 6 javelinas walked through the back of our site!